Mehdi Sahabi is widely recognized for his translation of Marcel Proust's literary masterpiece, "In Search of Lost Time." Beyond his achievements in translation, Sahabi was also active as a writer, journalist, painter, and sculptor.

He began his artistic studies at the Tehran Academy of Fine Arts. In 1967, he moved to Italy, where he attended a filmmaking course and spent a year studying painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome. After completing his studies, he relocated to France, where he lived until 1971. Upon returning to Iran, Sahabi worked as a journalist and translator, pursuing these professions with dedication until the end of his life. Fluent in English, Italian, and French, he translated numerous notable works into Persian, including "In Search of Lost Time," "Madame Bovary," "Sentimental Education," "The Baron in the Trees," and "Le Père Goriot," among others.

In the early and most renowned phase of his career as a painter, Sahabi focused on depicting wrecked cars, deformed and crumpled from accidents or disuse. These compositions often included human figures standing nearby, observing or conversing. He held his first solo exhibition in 1989 at Golestan Gallery and continued collaborating with the gallery until 1993, presenting three additional solo exhibitions. In 1990, his works were also featured in a group exhibition at the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art. His paintings have been exhibited internationally, including in France and Italy.

Although Sahabi was a prominent literary figure, his approach to painting was devoid of literary perspectives. His art was driven by formal and visual concerns, with themes exploring consciousness. Early in his artistic career, he adopted a classical approach to painting, utilizing media such as watercolor, gouache, acrylic, and oil. Later, he shifted toward abstraction, employing techniques such as collage and assemblage, which introduced dynamic patterns and volumes to his works. Art historian Pakbaz highlighted Sahabi's experimental use of materials, noting: "At different periods, he painted and created embossed works with themes such as birds and faces, sometimes reaching complete abstraction. He often crafted forms from scraps of cardboard, plaster, and crumpled paper, employing techniques like scumbling and striation. It seemed he deliberately sought to balance playfulness with careful thought."

Sahabi himself commented on his artistic process, particularly regarding his 2006 exhibition at Aria Gallery, which featured works centered on birds: "These birds are more playful than my other works. I make no particular claims about them. I had no intention of making groundbreaking discoveries. It’s simply a free exercise, a kind of playfulness, among other things."